Looking To The Future
by TheFifthSister
Summary: HG takes Myka out to dinner to celebrate becoming parents and has a question to ask...


A night out. That is what Helena had said she'd needed; what they'd needed. Myka knew she was right but leaving their daughter for even just the few hours they'd be at dinner was making her nervous. She felt terrible. Here she was, sat with her girlfriend in a romantic restaurant, tucked away in a private booth in the corner bathed in candlelight and a nice meal in front of them. Just the two of them. No crying. No diapers. No feedings. Helena was looking gorgeous in the sleek black dress Myka had made her promise to wear because Helena insisted that Myka wore the blue dress that she was so fond of. But instead of focusing on the vision in front of her Myka couldn't stop worrying about Emma.

Helena reached across the table and took hold of her hand, squeezing it gently.

"I'm fine," Myka assured her, fiddling with her food, before Helena could say anything.

"Call them."

"What? No – noooo," Myka protested. "We've only been gone half an hour."

"We've been gone forty nine minutes," Helena corrected. "Please call and check on her." Myka could see the worry now clearly reflected in Helena's eyes and she couldn't help but smile.

"Are we going to be those kind of parents?" Myka joked. "That can't even leave the house for – for five minutes without checking in?"

"Yes, if that makes us considerate and caring parents then that's what we're going to do," Helena nodded her head. Myka smiled and tugged on the hand that she was holding until Helena took the hint and slid out of her side of the booth and in next to Myka, wrapping one of her arms around her waist as Myka pulled her plate across the table for her.

"Tonight is about us," Myka said as she kissed Helena.

"They'll call us if we're needed," Helena rested her head against Myka's as they tried to talk themselves out of the worry they were feeling.

"And we won't be needed because everything – everything is fine," Myka countered in a no nonsense manner. "We left our daughter in capable, loving hands."

"Thank you for taking me out," Myka smiled.

"I wanted to do something special for you this evening," Helena told her.

That settled they returned to their meal, more content now they were closer to one another. Myka watched Helena out of the corner of her eye, smiling at how beautiful she looked. Helena took a sip of her iced tea, having passed on wine because Myka couldn't drink with her. Myka leaned against her a little as she took another bite of the risotto she'd ordered.

"We could at least send Leena or Pete a text," Helena suggested.

Myka sighed in relief and grabbed her phone from her jacket pocket. Fingers flew across the keys and she hit send, smiling at Helena.

"We're just being responsible parents, right?" she defended.

"Darling, we're allowed to worry about her," Helena assured Myka. "Technology has certainly caught up with the needs of parents."

Myka's phone buzzed and she snatched it up immediately, a smile breaking out on her face. She showed the screen to Helena so she could see the picture that Claudia had sent her of Emma smiling in her cradle with Myka's bear next to her. The message below read '...now get to smooching HG'.

"She looks like you when she smiles," Helena told her, smiling at her precious daughter.

"Now, finish your risotto and then you can order any desert you want. I intend to spoil you a little this evening." Helena promised.

/

Myka wasn't usually one to indulge but Helena had insisted and she had to admit the cheesecake she was sharing with her was delicious, even more so for the fact that they were feeding it to one another. They never really acted like this in public but Helena was trying so hard to pamper her that she couldn't help herself.

When she noticed Helena start to fidget, something that was completely out of character for her, she knew her mind was wondering back to Emma. "She's fine Helena," Myka assured her.

Helena smiled at her. "I know, darling. It's not that. I just have something…"

Before Helena could continue their waiter appeared to clear their table. "Can I get you anything else ladies?"

Myka exchanged looks with Helena before replying. "No, thank you. That was delicious."

"I'll be back with your cheque then," he excused himself.

Myka returned her attention back to Helena. "What were you saying honey?"

Helena smiled at her, reaching to take hold of Myka's free hand. "Have I told you lately just how beautiful you are?" Myka made a face at her. "I know you're still feeling a little insecure after having Emma but I assure you Myka, you look ravishing this evening. I love you in that dress. You are beautiful." She pulled Myka's hand to her lips, pressing kisses to the palm. "And desirable." Kiss. "And I love you." She held Myka's hand against her chest, making Myka feel the effect she had on her, how her heart beat for her.

Myka closed the distance between them and kissed her. "I love you too."

"I have no idea how I'm this fortunate," Helena smiled coyly, the usual bravado gone as she was honest with Myka in a way she was with no one else in her life. "You and Emma are the most important things in my life."

"I know honey," Myka assured her. "I feel the same way."

"The two of you give me so much hope for the future, where I had none before…"

The sound of Myka's cell ringing interrupted them. Myka grabbed it, checking the caller ID. "It's Pete," she told Helena as she answered it. "Hey Pete. Everything okay? Is Emma okay?" she asked hurriedly, flashing an anxious look at Helena. She nodded her head as she listened, her face relaxing. "It's okay, we just finished so tell Leena we won't be much longer." She continued to listen, looking at Helena and rolling her eyes. "I'm not bringing you desert Pete." Helena laughed. "Goodbye Pete," Myka hung up and put her cell back in her bag.

"What was that all about?" Helena asked, amused at Pete.

"We got a ping so Pete and Claudia are leaving," Myka explained. "He wanted to let us know because Leena is going to go to the Warehouse to research when we get home." Myka leaned over and kissed her again. "Now, where were we?"

Helena pulled Myka back towards her for another kiss. "I was getting around to saying that you, my darling, make me very happy and…"

The waiter reappeared, interrupting her once again. "Here you are ladies; I hope you enjoyed your evening."

Helena growled a little, Myka patting her hand in sympathy. "Thank you," she said, dismissing him.

"You okay?" Myka asked Helena.

"Yes, it would just be nice to finish a sentence without the interruption," She muttered, pulling money from her purse and leaving it on the table.

"Helena, what were you going to say?"

This wasn't right. Helena felt rushed and this wasn't exactly how she pictured the night. She'd wanted to do something special and had been assured by Claudia that this was the classy thing to do. But all along she'd been uneasy and unsure about it and now all these interruptions at this precise moment in time only served to fuel her doubts. She wasn't someone who generally believed in 'signs' but she did agree that this wasn't what she wanted now and wished she'd gone with her original plans and not listened to her young friend.

"I was just going to thank you,"

Myka was confused. "What for?"

"For our beautiful daughter," Helena smiled, blushing a little at how honest she was being tonight. "For loving me."

Myka beamed. "You never have to thank me for either."

Helena slipped out of the booth, extending a hand to Myka. "Come, shall we return to Emma and put her to bed?" She took Myka's jacket from her, slipping it on for her and holding out her arm for Myka to take, leading them out of the restaurant while she mentally berated herself.

/

"How was dinner?" Leena asked as they walked through the door.

Myka beamed at Helena. "Wonderful. I was thoroughly pampered."

Helena looked at Leena who pointed into the family room, already knowing what the two mothers would want to know. Helena walked into the family room to check the basinet they had set up in there for Emma, Myka right behind her, and smiled down at her daughter, sleeping soundly. "Hello my little princess." Myka joined her, leaning against her shoulder. "Thank you for taking care of her Leena."

Myka leaned down to lift Emma, rocking her gently as she stirred in her mother's arms. "I'm going to take her upstairs." She informed Helena. Myka turned and smiled at Leena. "Good night Aunt Leena."

"Good night Myka," Leena bent over and gave Emma a kiss, trying not to rouse her. "Good night Emma."

"I'll be right up darling," Helena called after Myka as she ascended the stairs.

"So..." Leena began once Myka was out of earshot.

"Tonight was not the night," Helena informed her. "Do you need any assistance at the Warehouse?"

Leena gave her a sympathetic smile. "When it's your moment you'll know," she reassured her. "Artie is at the Warehouse. We'll call if we need you. Go enjoy the rest of your night with Myka."

Helena waited for Leena to leave, turning off the lights on the bottom floor and making sure the porch light was left for the return of the other occupants should they come home in the night at all. She walked up to her and Myka's room, pausing in the door way to watch her girls. Myka had changed out of her dress into sweats and a tank top, her hair pulled into a messy ponytail, and she sat on their bed rocking Emma and talking softly to her. Helena smiled. She looked so at peace, a calmness about her that was different to anything she'd seen in her girlfriend before. She'd always seemed self assured to the rest of the world but Helena knew where her insecurities lied beneath the surface. Now Myka looked like she knew exactly where her place was and it radiated a glow from her. Motherhood looked good on her, the smile she wore showed her teeth and lit her eyes and warmed Helena's heart. It was Myka's truly happy smile and Helena was pleased to have been seeing a lot more of it lately. Myka looked up at her when she realised she was being watched.

"Someone's waiting for you to come and say good night."

Helena closed the door behind her as she crossed over to their bed, kicking her shoes up and climbing up next to Myka. Myka leaned forward so Helena could slide an arm around her back and hold her girls.

"Hello darling," Helena cooed at their daughter, wrapped in her blanket in Myka's arms. She starred up at them through sleepy eyes, her little mouth yawning and one little fist stretching. "Poor thing. Did your aunts and uncles tire you?" She ran a finger across her brow, smiling as her eyes fluttered shut once again.

"Maybe you'll sleep through the night and let me and Mummy sleep too," Myka relaxed into Helena's embrace, turning her head a little so she could kiss her.

"Will you marry me?" Helena whispered as their lips parted. Suddenly Myka went rigid in her arms, pulling back to look at her. If this wasn't such a serious moment Helena might have smiled at the fact that Myka somewhat resembled a deer caught in headlights at this moment but currently her heart was in her throat and she wouldn't have gotten the words out if she tried.

"Wh-what did... did you just...?"

"You are the love of my life. You're my 'one'. You saved me and loved me when the world had shattered me and you put me back together. I love you Myka." She lifted a hand to trace her cheek, pushing an errant strand of hair back behind an ear.

"Yes." Myka's eyes began glistening.

"Yes?" Helena asked, making sure.

Myka began to cry, nodding her head fervently. "Yes, I will marry you." She leaned forward, kissing Helena with a force she hoped showed her all the love she held for her. Helena wound her hands into Myka's curls, holding her close. She licked Myka's bottom lip and waited for Myka to open her lips, sliding her tongue to meld with Myka's. Emma stirred between them and they broke apart, looking down at her suddenly and Myka giggled at the look of disapproval on her little face before her eyes closed again and she was asleep as Myka rocked her again.

"I love you too," Helena bent down and kissed Emma on the head.

"Six months old and already embarrassed by us kissing," Myka joked. She looked at Helena, still a little shocked. "Did that really just happen?"

"Hold that thought," Helena kissed her again, taking Emma from her arms. "Good night Mama." Myka placed a kiss on Emma's head and Helena slid off the bed, putting Emma in her cradle, tucking her blanket around her snugly and placing Myka's bear next to her. "Sweet dreams my princess."

Helena returned to Myka's side, pulling a little box out from seemingly nowhere and opening it to Myka. Myka gasped when she saw the ring inside and fresh tears filled her eyes. "Helena, it's beautiful."

Helena slipped it on to Myka's finger and pulled Myka to her once again, picking up their kiss where they had left off. Myka fell into her, wrapping her arms around her waist and rolling over, pulling Helena on top of her and just letting the love they had for one another flow.

Myka broke away first. "Is this what you were trying to say at the restaurant?"

Helena rested her head against Myka's. "Everything I said was true, I wanted to spoil the mother of my child, I wanted to tell you how much I loved you and I was going to propose."

"I liked this better," Myka said. "I loved going out to dinner with you and that makes tonight special but I like that it was just the two of us and Emma. That's the story I'm going to tell."


End file.
